PM Narendra Modi's slogan, HM Amit Shah's image have taken a beating: AIADMK on Delhi riots

Allies and friends had tough words for BJP during the discussion on Delhi riots in Rajya Sabha on Thursday with AIADMK saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of inclusiveness and Home Minister Amit Shah's image as a “strong administrator” have "taken a beating".

Another ally Akali Dal had a piece of advice to the BJP leadership when its MP Naresh Gujral said "great statesmen and leaders always remain flexible and responsible and ensure that the bond of trust between them and people perpetually remain strong" while a friendly party BJD minced no words about a possible intelligence failure in anticipating the riots.

Participating in a short duration discussion on Delhi riots that erupted in last week of February killing at least 52 people, a "deeply distressed" AIADMK MP SR Balasubramoniyan said Delhi Police is under the control of Ministry of Home Ministry and it is the moral responsibility of the Centre to maintain law and order in the capital.

Appealing that India's global standing should not be diminished through such riots, he said, "the Prime Minister's 'sabke saath, sabke vikas, sabka vishwas' (slogan), which the world believed, has taken a beating. The image of the Home Minister as a strong administrator has taken a beating."

He said the minority communities are "really scared" and they are worried thinking that they would lose citizenship if the government goes ahead with National Population Register and National Register of Citizenship, a sentiment repeated by Gujral and BJD's Prasanna Acharya.

Demanding a judicial enquiry by a sitting judge of Supreme Court or High Court, he said there were only anti-CAA protesters in Shaheen Bagh but in north-east Delhi's Jafrabad there were pro-CAA protesters too.

Without naming Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra, the AIADMK MP said, "On February 23, one politician proclaimed as if he is the Home Minister of the country gave a three-day ultimatum to Delhi Police to get the roads (blocked by anti-CAA protesters) cleared...Things went horribly wrong on February 24. What happened was looting, unbridled arson...Delhi Police officials of remaining "mere spectators."

Demanding an impartial enquiry, Gujral said the police response was inadequate and it was a mystery who initiated these riots and from where did many 'goondas' enter Delhi.

Appealing to the government to clear the air on CAA-NPR-NRC, he said Muslims are “upset” at attempts to link CAA with NRC and with the new format of NPR, which created “fear, insecurity and suspicion” in their minds.

He also referred to JD(U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar getting a resolution in state Assembly with the support of BJP MLAs supporting his government, which proposes to “stick to the old format of NPR”.

Quoting country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when he said 'Hindi is important, unity of the country is more important' when protests arose in south India over making Hindi the link language, he said the Prime Minister has given a slogan of inclusiveness and the Home Minister should repeat it again and again so that all minorities “believe and trust this government” that their future is safe.

Referring to Shah's remarks in Lok Sabha on Wednesday that the riots were “pre-planned”, Acharya asked, “what was the failure on the part of the government that it did not come to know about it (in advance)...If it was pre-planned...is it a failure of the government that it could not get a hint.” He also asked why hate-mongers were not prevented or no action taken against them.

Acharya also spoke about the misgivings among Muslims about CAA, saying it is the prime duty of the government to dispel those.